As an outgrowth of work on the California History-Social Science Frameworks and the LGBTQ-inclusive textbook adoption process, educational consultants like Dr. Rob Darrow have come to realize that the next part of the process is providing teachers and other educators with the opportunity to learn LGBT history.

Darrow notes, “Most teachers have never taken a course about LGBT history, let alone seen any history book that even includes the words ‘queer history’ or ‘LGBT history.’ I have been conducting some workshops in different school districts, but also realized a university course would help provide this learning for some interested teachers.”

He has addressed this with an online course he has designed a four-week intensive online course,LGBT History for Schools, which will be offered through CSU Monterey Bay. It will run throughout June, 2018, and will focus on the LGBT history content found in the California History Framework, providing educators with the background needed to teach this content.

The class will be especially beneficial for 8th and 11th grade history teachers who are expected to start teaching LGBT history as a part of the new state frameworks and curricula. But it may also be interesting for others who want to learn a little LGBT history.